Originally published on July 26, 2009 in our free SmallLaw newsletter.
TechnoScore: 2.5
1 = Lowest Possible Score; 5 = Highest Possible Score
Fast talking Social Security disability lawyer Lee Coleman of Hughes & Coleman tries to set himself apart from other lawyers by discussing win/loss percentages — namely, that such records are meaningless since some law firms only accept easy cases. Coleman compares a lawyer's statistics to those of baseball players. I'm not sure how a consumer would benefit from this analogy.
This video is lengthy for this type of comparison. The sidebar description is sorely lacking, and doesn't give a viewer any way to get in touch with Coleman.
From a technical standpoint, the audio could be improved. Coleman is sitting in a very pretty looking office, with a gold framed painting and a visually pleasing lamp. However, I cannot understand why the lamp is not turned on since that would create a nice lighting effect. With the light off, the entire right side in the corner appears dark.
I suspect Coleman is shooting this video himself since he is not framed correctly. There is a tremendous amount of space above his head. He should have lowered the angle of the video camera on the tripod. When shooting video on your own, it's always a challenge to make sure that you are properly framed. You should create test videos.
Tip #1: Ask This Question Before Pressing Record
Before creating an attorney video, ask yourself "Will someone benefit from the information you are about to provide?" If you can't answer the question, don't create the video.
Coleman states that evaluating an attorney's wins is meaningless unless you know what types of cases he accepts and rejects. Okay, I get it. But it should take no more than 30 seconds. Coleman makes one good point — he can't win every case. "That's what happens when you go up against a major league pitcher."
Tip #2: Skip the Fancy Graphics
The graphics in Coleman's video tend to be visually over-the-top — they fly in and out every time he changes topics. Also, they are so wordy that they take up half of the frame and obscure Coleman. Skip the flashy graphics. Creating a video with too much polish can make you seem less approachable.
Tip #3: Differentiate Yourself Without Referencing Your Competitors
It's okay to be different. But don't disparage other law firms. It not only makes you look immature, but may expose you to a defamation claim as well.
Till next time, see you on video!
The Back Bench
Certified Family Law Specialist and online video producer Kelly Chang Rickert says: "Lee Coleman does an excellent job explaining statistics. He has a frank and forthright style — I like him. However, what exactly does his firm do? He needs to explain more. The video itself is pretty good — I would opt for a different background and maybe more interesting effects — but otherwise, it's good. My motto is short and sweet. This one seems to lack on those two points."
TechnoLawyer publisher and online video producer Neil Squillante says: "I like Lee Coleman's message about how his firm accepts tough social security cases, but it takes him too long to make his point. Also, I like analogies, but I'm not sure the baseball analogy works here. In fact, I don't think you need an analogy for his relatively simple pitch (no pun intended)."
Written by Gerry Oginski of The Lawyers' Video Studio.
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